1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print processing system, and an information processing apparatus, a client apparatus, an information processing method, and a program which constitute the print processing system.
2. Related Background Art
In a conventional install method for a printer driver, in the case of an OS dependent system, for example, Windows (registered trademark), a user selects “addition of a printer” from a property of a printer and is caused to input necessary information according to a dialogue format, which is called wizard, and install a printer driver. In addition, there is also a method with which a user simply performs necessary minimum operations using an installer to thereby realize install of a printer driver. Further, in an installation operation with Point & Print using a print server, a mechanism for automatically delivering a printer driver from a server apparatus to a client apparatus exists on a server of Windows (registered trademark) NT/2000/XP.
Some host apparatuses provided with a printer driver load a dynamic link library, which provides data relating to print data, such as a printer to be connected, and functions provided in a printer driver of the printer, to an OS with plug-in.
In addition, if users install a printer driver in their own ways and make connection to a printer disorderly, it is likely for a malfunction to occur in a print processing system. If a printer manager (IT manager) installs the printer driver in client apparatuses in order to solve this problem, an extremely long time is required in the case in which there are many client apparatuses.
However, in conventional install methods, various problems occur because, in the case in which a user, such as a company, owns a large number of computers and has a large number of users (clients), work for causing all the clients to install a printer driver is required.
In addition, a device (printer) driver of a latest version is usually used in order to use a new function in a driver. However, updating and reinstalling of a driver require time and labor and, to make matters worse, since reboot may occur, essential business of the user may be adversely affected.
Further, in the Point & Print system using a print server, it is possible to install a printer driver in all the clients with automatic delivery of the printer driver. However, since the installation is carried out regardless of the state of the client apparatus side of the system, it is likely that the driver function changes regardless of the state of use of a user, or a mismatch occurs in a driver constitution to prevent the printer driver from operating normally.